After 60 years, wrestling to reinvent NATO's mission

Original: After 60 years, wrestling to reinvent NATO's mission

source chicagotribune.com

In the aftermath of World War II, the United States and Europe created the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to try to ensure the mutual security of its members and bring lasting peace to Europe. Nearly 60 years later, that once well-defined mission has taken some extraordinary turns.
NATO soldiers today are fighting a Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, protecting UN food ships from pirates operating off the Somali coast and training police in Iraq. Last year, NATO forces helped train and airlift African Union troops into Darfur; the year before they flew relief supplies to Pakistani earthquake victims. A coalition that until 13 years ago had just 16 members and had never conducted a military operation now relies on troops from 26 member nations to operate multiple missions at once—missions not all th s dominant security body with a new alliance incorporating Moscow. But NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer indicated Wednesday that "there is not a shimmer of a chance that, whatever the discussion, NATO could or would be negotiated away."

The continued growth of the alliance—and particularly plans to incorporate Ukraine and Georgia—is one key issue now dividing NATO members. NATO's offer of membership to the two nations has infuriated Moscow. Earlier this year Russia seized control of parts of Georgia, effectively halting the planned NATO expansion since "you can't import an open conflict with Russia," Shepherd said.

Now central and east European nations, including Poland, continue to see Russia as a major threat, while West European giants like France and Italy, which have forged growing economic ties with Moscow, want to push ahead with strengthening relations and put NATO expansion on hold.

"There are serious divisions about the ading European nations that defe